


happy birthday, yanagi renji

by icedpocarie



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Gen, Team Bumblebee - Freeform, fluffy-ish gen, happy birthdayyyy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-18 10:33:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14851107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icedpocarie/pseuds/icedpocarie
Summary: Rikkaidai tennis team has a way of going against Yanagi’s predictions. This was one of those times.Aka: belated happy birthday, Renji!





	happy birthday, yanagi renji

Being a pseudo-part of the U-17 team has its perks – and one of them is that Yanagi can see majority of his Rikkaidai teammates most of the time. While their team – unusually close, even with athletic group standards – are usually flocked around each other, staying with Seiichi in the oversized room that he was given with, there were times when the group is scattered, for the lack of better word.

Yanagi knows that the camp has brought a new set of friendships for every individual and he also knew that Rikkai was not above it. Whether through room assignments or match-ups, more than most of their flock had socialized with a person from a different school.

He has nothing to say against that, of course, because that would be purely hypocritical considering that he was also spending hours with Sadaharu.

And he really shouldn’t be surprised, but he still _is_ when he met not just one or two members of his team when he enters the hotel elevator.

His data suggests that even the participants of the U-17 are hanging out with those who weren’t, but it still came as a pleasant surprise when mixtures of confused stares greeted him in the elevator.

“Y-yanagi?” Marui starts, while the others are still looking – Yagyuu and Niou keeping their quiet to bide their time and Jackal was simply appearing like he was caught redhanded. He popped his gum, making an odd noise in the back of his throat when he pointed out, “Why are you here?”

In the silence of the elevator, Niou’s amused remark of _idiot_ can be heard, but no one in the location chose to acknowledge it.

“Seiichi sent me to get Akaya,” Yanagi says, recognizing that the confusion changed to nervousness and it saddens him that he cannot guess _why_ they would act like that.

It hurts his pride as a data player, but he pushes that thought out of his mind and decides not to dwell on it – opting to figure out a hypothesis base on the current evidences in front of him.

“Ah, the brat,” and then Niou spoke up, voice calm and almost monotonous even as he pointedly insults Akaya – fondly, Yanagi notes, like an awkward elder brother because he knew that Niou isn’t _that_ malicious. As Yanagi nods his head, Niou shrugs as he points out, “I think he’s hanging out with some Shitenhouji kid… or was it a Hyotei one? The brats all look the same.”

“To _you_ ,” Yagyuu points out. He then offers a small smile towards Yanagi as he elaborated, “Kirihira-kun’s in the bakery with some of the second-years. I think –“

“Hey, Yagyuu!” This time, it was Jackal who talks – cutting off Yagyuu’s speech with a worried face. He obviously side-eyes Yanagi before he reflects on his actions and decides to say, “Akaya says that we shouldn’t bother him.”

Yanagi wants to point out that even if their second year ace did say that, only Jackal would have agreed to it. The remaining three had similar expressions on their face, but no one talked, bringing the elevator to another moment of silence.

And when Yanagi decides that the curiosity – what _are_ they hiding – is getting the best of him, the loud _ding_ of the elevator resounds and Marui was already giving him a large grin, half-pulling Jackal and Yagyuu with him, while Niou casually strides after them.

“Yanagi, we’ll see you later!” was all that he says and he didn’t look suspicious, he really didn’t when he pushed the two by his side towards the direction of the hotel restaurant.

It didn’t help their case that they were talking – arguing – with hushed voices. Yanagi wanted to call out to them, once again, but then his phone buzzed and he saw a message from Seiichi.

_Are you already with Akaya?_

Yanagi briefly wonders if this was a coincidence or just some lucky timing on the part of his teammates, but he turned away and closed the elevator door, choosing to go after Akaya instead.

 

Just as Yagyuu and Niou said, Akaya _was_ in the bakery. Yanagi found him arguing with the second-years, Zaizen and Hiyoshi – they were in the hotel, too? – and there was a brief moment that his eyes flashed just a bit of red before he shook his head.

He was talking quite animatedly, too, body relaxed against the counter and looking very smug.

And then he meets Yanagi’s eyes and his green, green eyes widened almost adorably and just like the rest of the Rikkaidai members that he met on the way, he looked very much surprised.

Zaizen took the opportunity to bring out his phone and take a picture but Akaya managed to catch himself – and the other’s phone – before he deleted the photo and strode towards Yanagi, giving his friends – acquaintances? – any more attention.

“Yanagi-sempai?” Akaya asks, voice unsure as he looks up at the older man. He was sweating just a little bit – just like he always does when Sanada berates him or Yukimura gives him anything _not_ resembling a smile – and Yanagi wonders why he looks as nervous as he is.

“Seiichi sent me,” Yanagi replies immediately – kindly, unlike the others who would have made him go mental circles before admitting anything at all. He gives Akaya a small nod and points out, “He sent a text to you, didn’t he?”

“Buchou did?” Akaya blinks his eyes at that – and his nervousness seemed to have multiplied. He quickly gets his phone from his pockets and as soon as his eyes met the screen, a pale expression replaced his surprised one.

There was a curse that was cut-off midway – Yanagi assumes that it was because _he_ was there – and Akaya looks up at Yanagi, giving him the slightly adorable look that Niou thought him when he requests, “Sempai, can you accompany me?”

Yanagi wants to point out that Seiichi wouldn’t want them to waste any minute but Yanagi also knew that it was better to respond to Akaya’s wishes lest he goes into a mini-tantrum.

Not that he _would_ do that in front of Seiichi of all people, but he thinks that he has the right to consider that, knowing that things were unfolding unusually today.

He takes another look at Akaya – who already has his back on him, getting a large box from the counter – and he says his agreement.

 

As soon as the elevator drops him and his underclassman on a specific floor, Yanagi recognizes that this was the same place where Jackal, Marui, Niou, and Yagyuu went earlier on.

He tries to take the box from Akaya again, but all he got was a petulant _but I got it_ and the two of them where on their way.

Yanagi only realized that they were in the sole high-class restaurant in the hotel when Akaya finally stops walking in front of a guarded location. Yanagi looks up at the signboard and hopes that Akaya isn’t going here for kicks and laughs.

Because as much as Genichirou is nice to him, he will _tarundoru_ even Yanagi if they made a scene here.

But contrary to his expectations – 97.5% that Akaya will get turned away by the guard who was eyeing the two of them – the guard only widened his eyes in recognition and nodded his head.

“Please come inside,” the guard says kindly – treats them like they were businessmen with enough money and not simple, foreign children.

And as Yanagi comes inside, watches how the room is almost empty – save for the group of people he recognizes in the middle of the restaurant – things _finally_ came together in Yanagi’s mind.

“Happy birthday,” Seiichi starts, looking ephemeral as always and then the rest of the team follows after, bringing out their own sets of gifts that were wrapped differently.

Yanagi feels a bit emotional – their team truly was wonderful, despite what most of their opponents would beg to say otherwise – but he wasn’t able to say anything because Akaya trips in front of him.

“Shit -!” Akaya finally curses as he watches the box slowly fall from his hand and then Yanagi watches as Marui run – faster than he does, even in tennis matches – and saves it in the last second.

“You idiot!” Marui berates, looking like he doesn’t mind that the rest of the team – which includes their buchou that _favors_ Akaya – and shakes him as soon as he placed the box in a safe place, “You almost destroyed my gift!”

Yanagi was not able to hear him elaborate on that further because Seiichi and Genichirou already walked towards him. Seiichi gives a small smile, looking just a little bit playful as he muses, “I can’t believe that you didn’t realize that it was _your_ birthday, Renji.”

He wanted to point out that a part of him _knew_ that it was his birthday – he just didn’t factor in that their rowdy group of misfits would actually try to throw a surprise party in the middle of the hectic schedules.

“Happy birthday,” Genichirou repeats, but he wasn’t able to say anything more because there was a clang on the other side of the room and he was prepared to reprimand Niou who was starting _to juggle the glasses_.

Seiichi laughs as their friend walks away and then he smiles – kindly, gently, like he always does with them outside of the courts – as he nods his head, “Then, shall we celebrate your birthday?”

**Author's Note:**

> completely sorry for any mistakes because this was unbeta-ed and finished in an hour orz. anyways!! renji, happy birthdayyyy! i hope that this story was good enough and ugh i could never get enough of writing rikkaidai :(
> 
> my hands are still sore from the tenirabi grind but i'm at least happy to write this. also, dedicated to @matsukawaissei on twitter because no. 1 renji appreciation supporter. i can't do art because my tablet has been missing for months, but I at least hope that you liked this piece of writing.
> 
> Also!! I really do love Renji and that Mori backstory :((( truly going number three in my heart ffhsoaa. anyways, oujo rikkai! gtg have to eat.


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